Improvement in vault-covers



UNITED STATES PATENT omen;

.WILLIAM DALE, OF YORK, N. Y. I

IMPROVEMENT INYVAULTeCOVERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 156,412, dated November3, 1674; application filed l oetoberee, w73. e

To 'cl-l whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, WILLIAM DALE, of the city, county, and State of NewYork, have inlmay be formed underthem; and it consists in `what may betermed a method of construction,

-as Will be more fullyset forth hereinafter.

Figure l is a plan view of my improved cover', showing the constructionof metal portion as adapted for the reception of the glass bulls eyesand of the cement which is used for retaining them in position. Fig.2 isa sectional elevation on line m :v o f Fig. l, showing the metal frame,the form ofthe bulls-eyes, the method of applying them, and the celnentfor holding them in position. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on line yyof Fig. 1,in which the cement is omitted for the purpose of showing theform of the cavities into which it is poured. Fig. 4 is a sectionalelevation of a portion of the metal frame and one bulls-eye upon anenlarged scale, for the purpose of more clearly illustrating theirconstruction and the method of uniting them, and also for showing adovetailed form of rib or partition between the different compartmentsof the frame.

Corresponding letters refer to corresponding parts in the severalfigures.

It is well known by experts in the business of selling textile fabricsthat the best possible place for exhibiting their good qualities is inthe vault under the sidewalk, or in some other position where the yraysof light fall vertically upon them; and in order that this may be donein the vaults above referredto, and thus room of great value beutilized, it is indispensable thatthe device employed for admittingthelight should be absolutely water-tight, in order that no wettingofthe goods shall take place while they are being exhibited or duringthe time that they may be under the light.

Vault-covers, as heretofore generally constructed, have been subject toconsiderable' changes of dimensions, and consequently to derangement oftheir parts, owing to the fact that so much of the surface of themetal-of which they have been in part composed-has been exposed to therays of the sun and to the temperature of the atmosphere outside of suchcovers, thus causing them to be expanded by the heat and contracted bythe cold until breaks have been caused, however tight they may have beenwhen placed in position.

I have heretofore providedl a remedy for the above-named and otherdefects by so constructing-a cover thatv it shall admit the light freelyand at the same time exclude, at all times and under all temperatures,-water from the vault I or room below. This result is accomplished byconstructing a vault-cover, substantially as described in my reissued.patent. In accordance with my present impro vement, I construct it of aframe, A, of east-iron or other suitable metal, such frame consisting ofa plate or disk, A,which may be rectangular, circular, or of any otherform that will adapt it'to the openings to which it is to be applied.Through the disk or plate apertures areformedfor the reception of acircular projection upon the bottom of the bullseyes. Around theperiphery of the frame an upwardly-projecting liange is formed, theupper surface of which is :Iiush with the upper surface of thebulls-eyes, between whichthere are transverse lian ges B B', which risefrom the disk or plate A to one-half, more or less, 0f the height of theouterange and of the bulls-eyes. These lianges are, by preference, ofdovetailed form, shown in Figs. 3 and 4,`in order that they may the moresecurely hold the cement in place.

In Fig. 4, I have shown an inwardly-projecting ledge, C,which I preferto have placed upon the inner surface of the frame A, so that, as thecement is poured or pressed in around the bulls-eyes,it may pass inbehind or below such ledge, and thus be held more firmly in positionwhen it becomes hardened. Theled ges referred to may in some cases beomitted, the frame being constructed as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, whichform of construction will answer very well when small frames andbulls-eyes are used, but for larger ones the form shown in Fig. 4 willbe found to be preferable.

Lateral lianges D are formed upon the vertical flanges of the frame,either iiush with the top of the latter or a little distance below thetop thereof, in which latter case they will be covered with cement. Thevault-cover is supported by these flanges D either upon a frame insertedin the sidewalk or upon the walk itself, or upon a shelf' formedtherein.

In order that provision may be made for the passage of light through thedevice bulls-eyes E E of glass are inserted. Their form is that shown inthe drawings, where it will be seen that upon the lower end of eachthere is a projection which nearly or quite fills the aperture formed inthe frame, as shown in Fig. 1. This projection is of such length as toallow the under surface of the bulls-eye to come down ilush with theunder surface of the frame, while the whole length of the eye is such asto cause its upper surface to be ush with the upper surface of theupwardly-projecting ange thereof. For the purpose of more effectual] ysecuring the eyes in position they are furnished with a groove which isformed in their peripheries, so that as the cement is placed around themit shall iill such groove and thus prevent the possibility of theremoval of the eye. The eyes are secured in the frame and madewatertight by means of what is known as Portland cement, or it may be byany other kind which is capable of being applied in a semi-liquid state,or of such consistency as will cause it to till the spaces between theeye and the surrounding metal, and afterward of becoming hard, as thefirst-named kind will do.

The method of applying the cement is clearly shown at F F, in Figs. land 2, where it will be seen that its upper surface is even with that ofthe frame and the bulls-eyes, so that when the device is complete itpresents an even and level surface for the people to walk upon. It willalso be seen that the cement extends some distance above the uppersurfaces of the trans- -verse lian ges or partitions B and B',protecting almost the entire body of the metallicframe from the rays ofthe sun and the effects of changes of temperature outside of the cover,

the cement being a non-conductor, or at least a poor conductor, of heat,and lbeing applied in the semi-liquid or plastic state, renders itcertain that, with suicient care in applying it, the most minute spacesbetween or cavities in the parts will be illed, and that thus awater-tight vault-cover Will be made which will not be affected to suchan extent by the changes of temperature to which'it is exposed as tocause it to become leaky by lon g-continued use.

I have described my improvement as peculiarly applicable tovault-covers; but it is also applicable to the roofs of buildings, theonly change required being in the flanges upon which it rests, whichshould be so constructed as to cause them to overlap each other and havea recess for the insertion of cement in such a manner as to prevent anyleakage between them.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. The grooved bulls-eyes E, provided with a shoulder, E, by which theyare supported on the bottom plate of the dish, and reduced ends Eiitting the apertures in the latter, substantially as specified.

2. The metal dish A A', provided with dovetailed or under-cut ribs B,which terminate some distance below the upper surface of the dish,substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. The metallic dish provided with the inwardly-proj ectin g ledge C,substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specication'in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM DALE. Witnesses:

D. P. HoLLoWAY, B. Enw. J. EILs.

